Federalist Essays No.45 - No. 46

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Summary

The critics of the U.S. Constitution worry that too much power has
been placed in the central government under the proposed plan of government.
However, they do not think about how much strength is required in a government
to sustain the union.

If the union is necessary for the safety and happiness of the American people,
it is foolish to spend time arguing against the government that can sustain that
happiness because that government takes rights away from the individual states.
Was the American Revolution fought for the purpose of each individual state
enjoying sovereignty and power? Every government should be designed with the
best interests of the people in mind. If the Constitutional Convention had
proposed a plan without that goal in mind, then the plan should rightfully be
rejected.

There are many examples from ancient and modern confederacies that prove
that the individual members often betray the union. Since the states, under the
U.S. Constitution, keep a lot of power it is important to analyze whether
enough checks have been placed on their authority to hurt the union.

The state governments gain from the relationship with the federal government.
The federal government serves to protect states from disputes with their
neighbors, to grant powers in the state governments and to provide the
additional support of the people.

The federal government cannot run without the state governments. The state
legislatures are the ones to elect the President of the United States, and to
select the state Senators. Each branch of the federal government relies in these
ways upon the state governments and will feel dependence towards them.

The number of federal employees will be much smaller than the total number of
all the state employees. The state government employees will have more influence
because of their larger numbers. State tax collectors will be much more present
in the community than federal tax collectors which will focus on collecting
tariffs on the seas. Even if federal tax collectors are to be appointed, they
would be much smaller in number than all of the state tax collectors.